Real Estate Investing in Chester, Vermont (05143)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Windsor County • Population: 4,916 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 05143 (Chester, VT)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (48/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
2 flags
  • High vacancy: 29.9% of homes vacant — above national norms.
  • High price-to-rent: Price-to-rent ratio 26.9 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

• Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in Chester, VT (05143)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $368,738
Avg Monthly Rent $1,143
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $70,911
% Renters 16.9%

Market Analysis: 05143 Chester

The 05143 ZIP covers a section of Chester that demands careful diligence. Prices near $369K look accessible, but the work to make a deal cash flow is real.

Distressed markets are won on execution, not on spreadsheets. ZIP 05143 clocks in at the profile where tenant screening, deferred maintenance, and local relationships determine the outcome.

In the broader VT picture, 05143 is a reminder that not every low-priced ZIP is a value-add opportunity — some are simply distressed, and the difference matters.

Turning to rents, 4,916 residents fill the ZIP, renter turnover runs higher than neighboring postal codes and delinquency risk is a real line item rather than a theoretical one.

appears to the ZIP is not uninvestable, but it is unforgiving. Section 8 landlords, local operators, and specialized value-add funds are the investor types that tend to succeed.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Chester:

C Below Average
Buy Confidence Score: 58/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 5.2× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+5.7%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,143/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: This market may be challenging for buyers. Consider your timing and budget carefully.
⚖️
BALANCED MARKET
Lebanon, NH-VT Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
52 days
Average time to sell
Average
6.9%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Lebanon, NH-VT metro data

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$385K$339K$292K$246K$200K$154KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

📊 How Does 05143 Compare?

Metric 05143 Chester Lebanon, NH-VT Vermont
Home Value $368,738 $368,738 N/A $387,631
5-Year CAGR 4.6% 4.6% N/A 6.4%
Avg Rent $1,143 $1,143 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.4% 2.4% - -
💡 Why Invest in 05143? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 05143 (Chester, VT). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Property managers serving Windsor County

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Ellaway Property Services, Inc. is a property services company. summary from their website

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Lowe's Real Estate & Property Management offers real estate services in Vermont and New Hampshire, including property management. summary from their website

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Real Property Management First Choice is a property management company. summary from their website

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Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.4%
Low
5yr Growth
+4.6%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $368,738
Monthly Rent $1,143
Price-to-Rent 26.9:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 3.7%
Cap Rate 2.4%
5-Year IRR 7.0%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +5.7% ▲
3-Year CAGR +3.4% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.6% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.2% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.4%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.4%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
29.9%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
3.0/5
Balanced
Value Trend (5yr)
+4.6%
Stable
Eviction process: Slow Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 05143

Population: 4,916

💰 Median Household Income
$70,911
This area
$70,911
State
$75,625
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
16.9%
This area
16.9%
State
19.3%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
1.8%
This area
1.8%
State
-24.2%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
37.5%
This area
37.5%
State
2.9%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
48.1 years
This area
48.1 years
State
11.2 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
29.9%
This area
29.9%
State
26.5%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 96.5%
Other/Mixed 2.3%
Black/African American 1.3%
Hispanic/Latino 0.9%
👶 Under 18
17.4%
This area
17.4%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
26.4%
This area
26.4%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
3.1%
This area
3.1%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 05143

A+ Avg School Grade
2 Schools
9.8:1 Avg Class Size
$21,268 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Chester Andover Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 06 School
👥
282 Students
👨‍🏫
11.3:1 Class Size
💰
$21,268 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Green Mountain Union High School

📚 07 – 12 High School
👥
293 Students
👨‍🏫
8.4:1 Class Size
💰
$21,268 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are home prices like in Chester, VT?

Chester, VT median home values land near $369K. That is reasonable territory for investors looking at $1,143/mo-per-month rentals.

Is house hacking profitable in Chester, VT?

Chester, VT offers a challenging house-hacking opportunity. Small multifamily or rent-by-the-room plays can pair well with the $1,143/mo rent level.

What is the tenant pool like in Chester, VT?

Tenant demand in Chester, VT is solid. The local workforce $1,143/mo rents across most rental classes.

How does Chester, VT rate as a rental market?

With a 3.0/5 investability score, Chester, VT ranks as a solid market for rental property investors. Median prices of $369K and rents of $1,143/mo drive the underlying numbers.

What is it like being a landlord in Chester, VT?

Chester, VT falls under VT landlord-tenant law, which is balanced. That backdrop makes day-to-day property management reasonable.

You know 05143 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 05143 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

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How 05143 ranks in Lebanon, NH-VT

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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